Chapter 132 Raising Taxes
This is the end of July.
The sun is still bright and the temperature is still high, and Dahe Village has officially entered the autumn harvest.
Not only Dahe Village, but all the villages in Ping'an Town and all the counties and towns in Huzhou are harvesting rice in these two days. The busiest half month for farmers has arrived.
On a village road in Huzhou, there were several horse-drawn carriages parked, and several men in official uniforms standing beside the carriages.
The man in the front, who looked to be in his forties or fifties, had a dignified look on his face, standing with his hands behind his back. "There's drought in the north and floods in the south. Huzhou, situated midway between the north and the south, hasn't been immune. Fortunately, some counties and towns have discovered water sources and worked together to eradicate the locusts, saving most of the rice fields. Fenghuang, Baiyun, and Ping'an towns in the southwest are doing well, but in Huzhou's northeastern border, there are already refugees. Taxes must be increased this year."
The speaker was the Prefect of Huzhou, the highest-ranking official in Huzhou. Above him was the Governor of the provincial capital, an official from the capital sent by the imperial court to check and balance the power of local officials. In all his years as an official, Magistrate Shen had only seen the Governor once from afar, and because he was too far away to see him clearly.
"Your Excellency, I have instructed the registrar to reset the tax rates. Except for Dahe Village, all other villages in Ping'an Town are now paying between three and four tenths of their taxes," Magistrate Shen said, bowing his head. "This year, revenue has plummeted, but tax revenue has increased, so the amount of grain collected should be on par with the year before last."
When the canal was dug more than half a month ago, he had already informed the villagers that any village that needed the county government's intervention to solve its water problem would have its tax revenue raised this year. Compared to having no harvest from the fields, raising taxes was obviously within the villagers' acceptable range.
The other county magistrates stared at Magistrate Shen in disbelief.
This idiot just talked about how to dig a canal, but didn't tell them in advance that they had to raise taxes.
If they were suddenly forced to collect more grain during this harvest season, the villagers in their jurisdiction would definitely not accept it. If the villages started to riot with each other, it would be a big headache.
However, one-third of the land in Huzhou has no food, and food from other areas must be handed over to make up the difference. Otherwise, if the refugees gather together, the consequences will be even more serious.
County Magistrate Zheng bowed his head and said, "Don't worry, Your Excellency the Prefect, the grain from Fenghuang Town will be handed over in full."
The county magistrates of the remaining counties and towns expressed their opinions one after another.
The prefect stroked his beard and nodded, saying, "These heavy taxes are unavoidable. We must explain this clearly to the people to avoid any resistance. Furthermore, during harvest season, banditry is rampant. We must increase security patrols within our jurisdiction. Furthermore, we must prevent merchants from hoarding grain and selling it at exorbitant prices..."
A group of county magistrates nodded and took note of all this.
After the prefect finished speaking, he left in his carriage, and Magistrate Shen was immediately surrounded by others.
“Brother Shen, you didn’t let us know in advance about this tax payment matter, which has really caused us a lot of trouble.” Magistrate Zheng sighed. “A bunch of troublemakers in Phoenix Town are still causing trouble, and I’m worried sick about them.”
Magistrate Shen scoffed: "Would you listen to me if I told you? For example, what I said the other day about leaving rice stubble, you all looked down on it and thought I was talking nonsense. But when the locusts ravage the land next year, you'll know whether what I said is true or not."
The county magistrate present did not take the matter seriously.
Although they don't understand fieldwork, they can read books and history books. They know that there has never been a locust plague for three consecutive years in hundreds of years. It has already happened for two years, and there won't be another one next year. Therefore, there is no need for farmers to leave stubble for the rice.
Magistrate Shen shook his head, saying that those who only read books and ignore the old farmer's advice will suffer greatly.
He had heard from the village head and Zhao Chengshi twice before, and both times they had resolved the crisis. He was sure that this time he would also be able to turn misfortune into good fortune.
He got up and got into the carriage.
Behind him, the county magistrate of Fenghuang Town also followed.
On their way back from Huzhou, the two traveled the same distance for four-fifths of the journey. Magistrate Zheng had his own carriage, but he insisted on squeezing in with Magistrate Shen.
"Brother Shen, is it really necessary to promote the practice of leaving stubble in rice paddies?" This was the first question Magistrate Zheng asked as he went up to the county.
Magistrate Shen sneered: "Today is the first day of the autumn harvest. If you hesitate any longer, you won't have a chance to stay after the harvest is over."
County Magistrate Zheng and County Magistrate Shen were both sent to serve as officials in a remote and impoverished county town in Huzhou. Both of them were unlucky. They had been in office for seven or eight years without making any achievements. Seeing that Old Shen was planning to be promoted, County Magistrate Zheng was very anxious. He always felt that Old Shen must have received guidance from an expert, otherwise it would have been impossible for him to make breakthroughs one after another.
“Brother Zheng, I was just planning to visit you tomorrow. Since we’ve run into each other today, let’s get straight to the point,” Magistrate Shen said. “Your son is colluding with a young man from the wealthy Qian family in Baiyun Town at the Nanfu Academy. They’re bullying those scholars who have no family background. It’s one thing to bully others, but how dare they bully the students of our Ping’an Town? I will report this to the Prefect after the autumn harvest.”
County Magistrate Zheng felt his scalp tingling. His son was the most useless and always causing trouble. He sent him to the Nanfu Academy in the hope that the academy teachers could discipline him, but basically every few days, the headmaster would send people to his county office to complain. He didn't want to hear anything about his son recently...but that bastard Old Shen actually wanted to go to the prefect to complain.
If word gets to the prefect that he can't even discipline his son, he'll probably never get a promotion.
Magistrate Zheng cupped his hands and said, "Brother Shen, I have never interfered in the children's affairs. This is indeed my fault. I will go back and arrest that boy and lock him up for a few days."
“A scholar’s reputation is of utmost importance. I think you should have your son personally apologize to the wrongfully expelled students to clear his name.” Magistrate Shen patted him on the shoulder. “Your son and I are about the same age and both are unruly. You are luckier than me because you have a wife. She can at least keep your unfilial son in check. Unlike me, I don’t have a virtuous wife, so I have to do everything myself.”
County Magistrate Zheng smiled bitterly. It was because of his wife's doting that his son became lawless and increasingly disobedient.
His son's trouble at the academy has become his weakness and could very well become a weapon for others to attack him; he must take this matter seriously.
"Brother Shen, rest assured, I will definitely make my unfilial son come to apologize in person."
Magistrate Shen nodded. He genuinely admired Cheng Zhao and didn't want someone like him to be so tainted.
His son, Shen Zheng, was actually very intelligent, but he had no one to guide him. He was too busy, his wife had passed away early, and his elderly mother was too old. With no one to restrain him, Shen Zheng became more and more unruly.
Coupled with the flattery of people around him, this kid is becoming more and more arrogant. He is not from a wealthy family, but he insists on imitating the behavior of rich young men.
It's time to teach this kid a lesson.
Upon returning to Ping'an Town, Magistrate Shen sent someone to Nanfu Academy to bring Shen Zheng back.
He said with a serious face: "I am going to Dahe Village tomorrow. You come with me."
Shen Zheng did not refuse.
The thing he hates most is reading; he's fine anywhere as long as he doesn't have to read.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
